The doors closed behind her with a thud that echoed like a warning.
Yeonhwa stood motionless. Alone.
The chamber was vast and silent. Shadows danced across silk-draped walls. Lanterns flickered low, and a bronze brazier at the far end sent curls of sandalwood smoke into the air. The cushions were untouched. The wine set untouched. The king was nowhere in sight.
She stepped forward slowly, unsure whether to kneel or wait. The silence was oppressive. A wrong move could mean disgrace…or worse.
Then, footsteps. Soft, deliberate.
The doors opened again.
She turned.
And there he was.
King Hyunsu of the House of Han. His presence filled the room like thunder before rain.
He entered without a word, closing the doors behind him. The rich burgundy of his inner robe clung to his tall frame, the golden cranes of his sash catching the candlelight. His long hair was unbound from the banquet, falling over one shoulder like a silken banner. His face, sharp and unreadable, held no smile…only observation.
He looked at her as one might examine a statue…calmly, thoroughly, without warmth.
I quickly bowed.
"You arrived quickly."
Yeonhwa bowed deeply. "As summoned, Your Majesty."
There was a pause. Then he crossed the room, his steps silent over the lacquered floor. He poured wine into a porcelain cup at the low table, then looked at her again.
"Join me."
She obeyed without hesitation, though her heartbeat trembled through her limbs. She sat across from him on the silk rug, her eyes lowered.
"Drink," he said, sliding her a cup.
She raised it to her lips. The wine was warm, rich with spice, but sharp enough to sting. Still, she drank it without pause.
King Hyunsu observed her, unmoving.
"You've made an impression."
She kept her eyes down.
"You move like someone born in the palace," he continued. "You pour without trembling. You serve without question. But obedience is not always submission..."
He sipped his wine, then tilted his head. "Are you truly here to serve, Yeonhwa of Daseong? Or is that just what they trained into you?"
Her hands clenched in her lap, though her face remained placid. She said nothing.
"I was bundled away like cattle to be slaughtered and you ask me if I am truly here to serve?" she thought
"I've seen girls break under less," he said. "Some weep the moment the doors close. Others beg for favor. Some pretend to be fearless."
He leaned forward slightly.
"You pretend nothing."
Yeonhwa forced herself to breathe evenly. Her silence was her only armor.
He stood.
She followed him with her eyes as he moved toward the smaller adjoining chamber veiled in golden thread. He paused at the threshold and looked back at her.
"Come."
She rose and followed.
The inner room was dimmer, warmer. Thicker cushions lined the floor beside a wide silk mattress. Candles flickered in alcoves. The air was heavy with rose and smoke.
He seated himself on a cushioned bench near the low table, his robe parting just enough to reveal the dark wrap beneath.
"Stand there," he ordered softly.
She obeyed.
King Hyunsu studied her for a long moment. The silence stretched thin between them.
"You know why you're here," he said.
It was not a question.
"You are not here to recite titles or ladle soup. You are not here to serve tea."
She said nothing, but her eyes… wide…gave her away.
He rose again, slower this time.
"You are here to please me."
A chill ran down her spine. Her breath stalled in her throat.
"I have ministers for counsel. Eunuchs for errands. Generals for war. But the women brought to me?" He moved closer. "They are here for pleasure. My pleasure."
"Add the wicked laugh…" she thought
He stood inches away from her now. She could feel the heat radiating from his body.
"I do not beg," he said. "And I do not ask twice."
His fingers grazed her chin and tilted her gaze to his. His eyes were dark.
"You intrigue me. From the moment I saw you dance. From the way you held your silence at the banquet. You don't tremble like the others. You do not speak unless spoken to. Yet your eyes..."
He brushed her cheek with the back of his knuckles.
"They are always watching. Always questioning."
Yeonhwa's heart thundered. Her knees locked to keep from buckling.
"Does that frighten you?" he asked.
"No," she said, though her voice shook.
He gave a single nod. "Good."
Then he circled her, his voice low. "A maiden who can hold her own in silence is a rare thing."
She closed her eyes, steadying herself.
"But remember," he continued behind her, "in this chamber, silence is not always a shield."
His breath was suddenly warm at her neck. She felt it before she heard the words:
"Remove your veil."
With trembling hands, Yeonhwa reached up and unfastened the delicate silk. It slipped from her shoulders and fell to the floor without a sound.
"Look at me."
She turned. He was watching her closely now, his gaze unreadable.
"Step closer."
She obeyed.
He reached for her hand, then paused.
"I do not tolerate hesitation."
She nodded faintly.
"I do not want obedience out of fear. Fear can be broken. I want obedience... because you understand what I offer."
She was quiet.
He smiled…barely.
"Favor. Access. Power."
He let the words sink in.
"But none of it is free. It begins... here." He touched her collarbone, his fingers brushing the base of her throat. "With this."
Yeonhwa's breath came too fast.
He lowered his hand slowly.
Then stepped back.
"Lay with me."